Characterization of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Controls without an history of HF and previous cardiovascular disease will be recruited Inclusion Criteria for HF patients: Patients need to have typical symptoms and signs of HF, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II or higher, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) \>350pg/mL, or an hospitalization for HF within the previous 12 months. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is required to be lower than 40% in patients with HFrEF and 50% or higher in HFpEF, with evident signs of diastolic dysfunction ( LA \> 34 ml/m²; E/e' \> 14; TR \>2.8 ms, septal e' velocity \< 7 cm/s or Lateral e' velocity \<10 cm/s) Exclusion Criteria for HF patients: Patients with severe valvular disease, infiltrative or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, acute coronary syndrome in the previous 30 days, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease GOLD 3 or 4, congenital heart disease, pericardial disease, terminal renal failure (eGFR \< 15mL/min/1,73m²) or subjects requiring dialysis, atrial fibrillation with a ventricular response \> 140 bpm, severe anemia (hemoglobin \< 8 g/dL), liver dysfunction, and evolving cancer will be excluded